Harry Strickland Hanes, was born August 16, 1925, son of Paul E. and Harriet (Strickland) Hanes in Libo, (Kanawha City), West Virginia.
He graduated from Huntington High School in Huntington in 1943, and attended Purdue University until he was drafted into the Army. Harry served in the 36th Infantry Division during World War II, serving in the European Theater: Italy, France and Germany. He was wounded in combat in October 1945, and discharged in January 1946 after serving 26 months.
Upon his return to the U.S. in 1946, he enrolled in West Virginia University and graduated in 1950, at which time he was hired by Owens Illinois Glass Company. He began work in Clarion, Pennsylvania, transferred out to Toledo, Ohio, then eventually was transferred to Bridgeton, New Jersey where he lived until 1993. Harry and his first wife had two children, Harry P. (deceased 2002) and Pam Anderson.
He and his second wife Geneva started visiting Florida in 1977 and eventually moved to Leesburg permanently in 1993. Harry retired from Owens Illinois Glass Company in 1983 after 33 years with the company as Director of Human Resources. Geneva passed away in 2003.
Harry met the love of his life, Phyllis Sherman, in 2004, and they resided in Leesburg until Phyllis passed away in 2015. Harry loved doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles and was a master of the computer game, FreeCell.
Harry is survived by Phyllis’ family: Nancy Phero, Kimberly (Pino) Gambo, and Grant Gauvreau, all of Venice Florida. He is also survived by Geneva’s children: Linda Billingsley, Glenn Fisher, Debra Weiss, and Donna Freedman, as well as a stepdaughter from his first marriage, Valerie Rosow.